Kenmore Delux Home Drinking Water System

Don't know if this would be the right forum for my questions - if not, maybe someone could redirect me.

Here goes.

I bought an older home nealy three years ago and have, what I was told was a RO under sink unit. Well, I haven't used it and the water supply has been switched off during that time. Whilst replacing the taps on the kitchen sink (that is a horror story in itself) I decided to look at the "RO unit".

Well, when I got everything out from under the kitchen sink and managed to get a good look at the unit, I found it was marked as "Kenmore Delux Home Drinking Water System". It has two filter housings - one each end which are connected to a horizontally mounted round plastic tube, with small tubes going in/coming out of it. I don't have a manual for the system so I am having to wing it as they say. One filter was a sediment filter (I guess primary one) and the second filter was a carbon filter. Both were covered with all sorts of slime/sludge and the housings have been scrubbed clean inside.

I will try to attach a photo of the unit. I need to know if it is a RO unit or just a delux drinking water system. Also, if anyone recognizes it, what model number is it?

I would appreciate any and all info on this unit as I am completely in the dark here. I would like to be able to get a manual/instructions and parts numbers if at all possible. Any information will be greatly appreciated.

The long horizontal filter looks like an RO membrane. If so, there needs to be a tank.....usuall about 3 gallon size...associated with all this.

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Hi Jimbo,

Yes, there is a small tank probably about the size you mentioned (15" dia and about 20" long). It is out of the picture, but there is one there. There is also a small drain from the unit, that goes into the waste pipe and is held in place with the hose clamp. As you can see, the two filter housings are off of the unit as well.

RO cartridges must be kept wet, so there is a good chance it is shot. In fact, after three years idle, I would assume all kinds of bad things. You don't know the condition of the tank..is the bladder shot.

All in all, you will spend a bundle on parts to get this up and running. I would scrap the whole thing, and if you are really in love with RO, just get a new system from HD or Costco.

RO cartridges must be kept wet, so there is a good chance it is shot. In fact, after three years idle, I would assume all kinds of bad things. You don't know the condition of the tank..is the bladder shot.

All in all, you will spend a bundle on parts to get this up and running. I would scrap the whole thing, and if you are really in love with RO, just get a new system from HD or Costco.

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I did a bit of telephoning this morning after opening the unit up. To replace the two filters plus the membrane inner cost $188 + tax here in Canada. I can get a complete new unit for around $300 plus tax.

So yes Jimbo, you beat me to it. I needed to check to satisfy myself on what to do. For me the tap water is fine (through a just overhauled water softener) but the wife seems to think the RO would be better. Well, when she looks at the prices and the the difference in taste, she might just change her mind.

RO filtered water takes nearly everything out of the water...tastes funny to many people and is quite aggressive. Water is sometimes called the universal solvent...given enough time (sometimes eons!), nearly anything will disolve in water.

That RO unit looks like it has been bypassed. I see no sediment prefilter or carbon filter attached to the base. Without a carbon filter to remove chlorine, the membrane is definitely dead. You're better off buying a whole new system. I bought a complete RO system including pressure tank from Aquasafe for way less than $300. They ship out of BC so you can probably get delivery very cheap.